Buckley is an 8 year old Hound/Shep mix who came to A Buddy For Life when their vet received a phone call to euthanize him. The vettech just couldn't do it, given Buckley's circumstances, and so now he is in a foster home looking for his forever family.
Watching Buckley on Thanksgiving, I know what he is most thankful for: a warm,dry place to lay his head down at night, the treats he gets when he is a good boy, the kisses he gets before bed-time, the respect that his foster mom gives him, and the chance to be a real dog.
Buckley had lived the majority of his life outside in a kennel. Buckley was not socialized properly at an early age, and is an old man who is set in his ways. He is learning how to live inside and be a loved family member. He does not like to physically be told what to do (grabbing his collar, pushing him ,etc). Exascerbating this, he also has a condition called perianal fistula. Buckley had his consultation with Dr Palmiero, a dermatologist at the Veterinary Specialty Center. Dr Palmiero feels that Buckley is suffering from Chronic Perianal Fistulas and Chronic Perianal Fibrosis(scar tissue). He believes that Buckley has had this problem for quite a long time, and his former owners never did anything about it. We are going to try a course of medication for 7-9 weeks to see if it helps his condition. If the medication does not make a difference, Dr Palmiero believes that it is fair to say that Buckley can continue to live his life without much difficulty because of his condition. The only time he knows something is wrong with him is the occasional bout of diarrhea or constipation that his condition can cause. Buckley is housebroken, but because of his condition, he sometimes cannot hold it, but makes every effort to tell you he has to go (whines at the door, runs to the door). If I am not home I put him in my unfinished basement with lots of toys and blankies---and I have paper trained him down there and he does wonderfully.
He has come a long way...he is so happy to be in a home and not out in a kennel--he literally dances and prances around the house. New situations still make him nervous, but he is doing wonderful with them. He was a good boy at the vet and met lots of new people. We are also working with a local dog trainer, Wendy Young, to help us learn how to make his transition to outside dog to a loved pet a smooth one. He needs a loving, patient home for the holidays!!!
A Buddy for Life Inc. is a Non-Profit Incorporation trying to help save as many lives as we can. We are a 501(c)3 organization.
We would love to be able to save more. In order to do that we need more foster homes. If you are interested in learning more about fostering, please contact us.
